International Driver's License for Ireland

Ireland may accept a foreign license for short visits, but an International Driver's License is strongly recommended for all foreign drivers here. In Ireland an IDL confirms that police, rental agencies and insurers can read your license in a recognised format, which smooths out roadside checks and claims. You can apply for your International Driver's License online through E-ITA and access your documents in minutes.

In Ireland an IDL (International Driving License) or IDP (International Driving Permit) is the document that translates your home license into the languages used by Irish authorities. It is always used alongside your original national license, never on its own — Irish police and rental staff will want to see both together.

Road safety and driver licensing in Ireland are handled by the Road Safety Authority and the National Driver Licence Service. As a visitor you drive on your existing home license paired with your International Driver's License; you only deal with the Irish licensing service if you become resident and need to exchange or take out an Irish license.

Tourists and short-stay visitors may drive in Ireland on a valid foreign license, ideally accompanied by an International Driver's License. If you move to Ireland and become a resident, you are expected to exchange your license or obtain an Irish one within the period set by the licensing service. For a normal holiday or business trip, your home license plus your IDL is sufficient.

Irish rental firms generally rent to drivers from age 21, even though the minimum driving age is 17, and they routinely ask non-EU visitors for an International Driver's License alongside the home license and a credit card. Driving on Ireland's narrow rural roads with the paperwork in order avoids problems at pick-up and with insurance.

There is no walk-in tourist office in Ireland that issues an International Driver's License for your foreign license once you land, so it is best arranged before you travel. If you are already in Ireland and realise you need one, E-ITA lets you apply online and receive your permit in minutes rather than trying to find a local issuer.

* People drive on the left side of the road.

* The minimum age to drive a car is 17 years old. The minimum age to rent a car is 21 years old.

* Ireland does have a national seat belt law. We recommend always wearing a seat belt if it is available.

* Ireland does have a national law prohibiting mobile phone use while driving. Using a hands-free device is permitted.

* Ireland does have a national law requiring the use of helmets when on motorcycle or scooter. This applies to both drivers and passengers. There is no age restriction for child passengers as long as they are wearing a helmet.

* Legal Blood Alcohol Content Level: 0.05%. Do not drink and drive.

* The maximum driving speed is 50 km/h (31 miles/hour) in urban areas and 100 km/h (62 miles/hour) in rural areas.

Driving is on the left in Ireland, which can take getting used to for visitors from right-hand-drive countries, and many rural roads are narrow with high hedgerows. Speed limits are posted in kilometres per hour. Having your International Driver's License with you means that if you are stopped, an officer can read your credentials without delay.

Any holder of a valid national driver's license can apply. The IDL only translates a license you already hold, so you must already be licensed at home before driving in Ireland. The application is completed online through E-ITA.